A Dusty, Old Scarecrow
by hydro0228
Summary: Kakashi was ready to join his friends in the afterlife when he used up the last of his chakra reserve during Pein's invasion. He didn't expect to be brought back to life, what's more, he definitely didn't think he would end up in some strange land that had a broken moon.
1. Chapter 1

**A Dusty, Old Scarecrow**

 **Chapter 1**

The fire continued to burn, the flame crackled upon the firewood as its embers danced at the top. All around was nothing but pitch black, surrounding the fire, however, sat several stones large enough to be used as seats. Two figures sat there, casting long shadows behind their backs that blended into the darkness.

Kakashi knew what would happen if a person's chakra reserve was empty, he understood its consequence, but he did it anyway. He had fully expected to die, coming to peace with himself that his death would somehow contribute to the survival of Konoha. The memories of his teacher and teammates came forth as soon as he had drifted into the darkness. It was about time he supposed. Kakashi didn't expect to find a small campfire in the middle of nowhere, it surprised him even more to find someone else already there.

That person wore a standard issued Jounin flak jacket, though what caught his attention right away was the silver hair and a white short left sleeve marked with red triangles. Kakashi didn't have to second guess himself.

They had sat there for awhile, neither had spoke. How much time had passed, Kakashi didn't know. He wasn't even sure if time even existed in this place. He continued to wait there.

And soon the voice came.

"Who would have thought that you and I would die so early?"

It was deeper than his own, yet the intonation and speech similar.

Kakashi didn't respond, he only sagged his shoulders and resumed watching the flickering flame.

"Although not as early as your mother," the voice spoke again.

Without changing his posture, Kakashi replied.

"Father, I've always wanted to ask you something."

Kakashi felt his father's eyes turned to look at him, he didn't return the gesture.

"Why did someone like you, who was known as the White Fang of the Leaf... choose to ignore the village code, and abandon a crucial mission in order to save his comrades?"

He paused at the memory of that one fateful night before he continued.

"If you had not done so, no one would have condemned you and you wouldn't have become so miserable," Kakashi felt his teeth gritted together. "I felt so bitter."

The air become quite once more saved for the crackling of fire. Kakashi relaxed and resumed his slouch, there was no need for anger here. They were dead after all, what good would it do.

"I see...," Sakumo decided to reply. "You took it pretty hard, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Kakashi nodded in acknowledgement. "But you know, whatever the outcome, I know you did your best."

He could feel his father's startled face from the corner of his eyes. It was a gaze Kakashi never thought he'd witness. His father was his idol, he was the ninja that Kakashi aspired to become. He may have been called a prodigy when he was young, Kakashi had always strive to do even better just to catch up to him. Then everything just fell apart, he didn't understand why his father would do such... a stupid thing. Wasn't serving the village take precedent above all else? Kakashi hated him, no, he loathed him. His father's not even a ninja that died on the battlefield, but one that shamed himself to death.

But then come the Third Shinobi War, Obito and Rin happened. Not only had Kakashi fail to protect his team, he could not fulfill a dying wish.

"I can see that now and I finally understand," Kakashi spoke with sadness, regret began to rear its ugly head back up. "You broke the code to save everyone, and I'm proud of you for it."

They stayed in silence for some time, then Kakashi heard it.

"Thank you."

His chest felt a lot lighter after saying that. Kakashi didn't want to die with regrets, though he supposed that wasn't possible after all. He had failed Sasuke, should Konoha survive, he would never get to witness Naruto become the Hokage, or Sakura teach the next generation of shinobis in the art of medical ninjustu.

When suddenly he felt something hit his back and wrapped itself around his body. It was a green aura of sorts, it didn't hurt, but rather uplifting almost. Kakashi quickly stood up and watched at what was happening.

"What's this?" Kakashi asked, moreso to himself.

"Seems like it was too soon for you to come here," His father simply gave a small smile and spoke to him. "There must be something you're still meant to do."

"Father..."

"I'm glad we got to talk," Sakumo said as his smile grew slightly wider. "Thank you for forgiving me. Now I can move on in peace."

Kakashi didn't get a chance to respond when the light pulled him upward swiftly. His father grew smaller in the distance as everything began to turn dark.

When he came to his senses, Kakashi opened his eyes suddenly. When the chakra suddenly spiked from his Sharigan, he winced and closed the scarred left eye. Why did he feel so wet and everything smelled of salt. He sat up and looked around only to find things he was not expecting. This was not Konoha, for he didn't recognize the landmark. It wasn't daylight like when he fought Pein, but instead night with the stars dotting the sky proudly as they shone. To his left laid a forest with large trees bristling in the wind. What shocked him the most however, was the abnormally large moon that seemed to have shattered, its pieces lingered where it cracked.

Kakashi could only stare at it dumbfounded.

"...What?"

He sat there in shallow waters staring at the broken moon with many thoughts in his mind. Everything else didn't look out of the norm. Trees looked like how they should and the water was clear enough for him to see the sand beneath it. The wind blew softly across his hair, Kakashi could feel the chill from the part that drenched. With a groan, he pulled the headband down to cover the scarred eye and stood up, splashing the water as he did so.

This was no genjutsu, Kakashi was sure of that. He felt groggy and tired still, either a side effect of being brought back to life, or Death gave him enough chakra just to survive. He decided to head for shore, feet sloppily waded through the water. The dirt felt soft beneath his sandals, printing the steps as he walked. Kakashi glanced around him once more before coursing for the forest.

The sight reminded Kakashi of home, towering trees cloaked the sky. The moon's beams protruded through cracks between the shifting leaves, illuminated the grass in an almost mesmerizing way There was no man-made dirt roads so he had to tread carefully, doing his best with the light given. Eventually he found himself in the middle of a small clearing, tired from the low chakra reserve and soggy clothes, Kakashi decided to camp for the night. He would try to find some sort of civilization in the morning.

Kakashi gathered a couple of dry branches and huddled them together in a spot. He lined stones around in a circle to prevent fire spreading. Gathering a small amount of chakra, he sparked a small flame upon the sticks. The fire sparkled and came to life within seconds and flickered its light around it. Kakashi took off the Jounin vest and took out a scroll from its compartment. He unrolled it and placed his hand upon the center swirl that was part of a seal. With a puff a smoke came a pile of neatly folded clothes.

He smiled to himself, he's always prepared with a new set, even if all his outfits looked exactly the same. With new comfortable clothes, a warm fire, and soft grass, Kakashi leaned back to a tree and began to sleep. At least he wasn't hungry, hunting now wouldn't feel too good.

It didn't last long, his nap that was. Kakashi awoke when a burning smell reached his sensitive nose. Even for someone who just came back to life, his ninja senses remained sharp. It's not like Kakashi had ever needed much sleep, with the constant amount of S-rank ANBU assignments being handed to him back then, he's always on alert.

Kakashi swiftly pushed himself off of the tree and stood facing the direction that the smell came from. Quickly putting out the fire and sealing his old clothes, he dashed off.

As he got closer, the smell became stronger, burning houses and flesh. No matter how long he has been in the field, Kakashi could never get used to the latter. He heard screaming, men and women alike, but what worried him more was the roars. They didn't sound like any animal that he knew, but more like beasts or creatures of abomination.

He saw the fire and many pitch-black creatures prowling about, attacking the citizens that live within the burning town. The beasts looked like bears and boars, a some sort of humanoid wolves with spikes all over their bodies. Despite all of them looking like ink, they all wore some sort of white masks with red markings. Their eyes also glowed a bright red. It puzzled Kakashi, however, that he couldn't sense of bit of life within them, it's almost as if they weren't alive.

"GYAHHHAHAAHH!"

The scream tore Kakashi from his observation, a man was being dragged with his legs stuck in the bear's jaw. His body laced with cuts and blood, his right arm bent the wrong way and was simply flailing along the ground. Before Kakashi could react, another monster jumped on him and tore the man apart with ease.

Kakashi's frowned at the sight, but he decided to sneak in farther into the village, the beasts didn't seem to notice him. With his chakra still on the low side, helping the villagers escape would be better than fighting off the overwhelming number of monsters.

He heard the sound of fighting, steel against flesh and metal striking. Kakashi saw the people attempting to fend off the creatures with all manners of weapon: pitchforks, knives, staffs, sickles. Some even had swords and spears, probably guards. The houses were burning, Kakashi hadn't seen the creatures spewed fire so some unfortunate stoves or fireplaces must have been on. He noticed something during the display, the weapons seemed to just bounce off of the monsters, very strong hide or bones he guessed.

Majority of the village was still intact so the attack must have been recent. Kakashi had seen enough and let himself known by jumping down, not that anyone really bothered to look at him with all the chaos happening. Corpses littered the street where the monsters were. The citizens made a defense line of sort and it somewhat kept the creatures at bay, though for how long Kakashi didn't want to find out. He made a beeline for the closest ramshackle house that he could hear crying from. Lifting the fallen planks and debris out-of-the-way, Kakashi saw a woman holding a child close to her, a body laid there with the lower part completely smashed by rubbles, blood stains everywhere.

Kakashi slowly held out a hand to the lady, who looked to be of a woman in her twenty's, probably her husband was killed. She looked at him fearfully, but she relaxed a bit when he gave her an eye smile.

 _Crashhhh_

"AHHHH!" The woman shrieked and held her child closer when the roof suddenly came down.

Kakashi grunted when it impacted his arm, but held it nonetheless. Out of nowhere a roar happened along with a claw that swiped down at him. Instead of jumping backward, he dashed forward instead to reach the pair, wrapping his hands around them, and with a small boost of chakra, Kakashi leapt up. He landed with the two still in his arms a small distance away. He saw the humanoid wolf staring back at him, growling in anger. The crowd of people weren't far away and if he had to fight, he was not going to do it someone clinging on to him.

The defense line seemed to have been pushed back, if he didn't help them fight these things, everyone would definitely die.

Kakashi gave a small sigh, he was just brought back to life, but he already had work. Using a simple single hand seal, he pushed the pair toward the citizens with a gust of wind. The woman yelped but he knew she would catch her footing easily. His fingers fished out a steel kunai from the pouch, as he ready for the fight, two more of the wolves showed up. They didn't charge right away like he had seen with the other ones, so these had more intelligence.

How troublesome.

He would have to deal with these quickly before going over to help with the others.

The two creatures split up and attempted to flank Kakashi from both sides, the last one kept watching him. The claws both swiped at the same time and he ducked and flipped his body sideways, switching the kunai to a reversed grip, Kakashi used the momentum to slash at the beast's leg to his left. Even without chakra, Kakashi was no slouch in physical strength. With enough force he cut clean through, but the kunai's length, he couldn't severe its limb. It howled in rage and swung its other arm downward, the other one tried the same thing.

Kakashi didn't let his speed go to waste and jumped on to the injured one's neck and stabbed it. He dragged the blade down along its spine, leaving a trail of smoke as he did so. It shrieked and flailed its arms uselessly, trying to hit him. Kakashi didn't let it continue when he cut through its lower body section, where he saw was the narrowest part of its build. The monster flopped down to the ground and trembled before dissipated in smoke.

Were these things even alive in the first place? It's almost as if they're some kind of summons.

He stopped his train of thought when that thing's pal attacked him. The sloppy attacks allowed Kakashi to dodge them with ease, he did small cuts here and there, but he needed a strong final blow to kill these things. As he was about to lop its head off, Kakashi suddenly felt the third one from the pack racing at him. With no room to maneuver while in the air, Kakashi looked for the closest object to take his place.

Landing a distance away, Kakashi saw a smashed barrel where he was just a second ago. He stared back at the two monsters, the one that just attacked him seemed was larger with more spikes poking out from its arms. It howled like a wolf into the night sky, suddenly, the wolves that were attack the villagers turned their attentions to him. Kakashi scowled beneath the mask. Things just got harder too. Although he saw that the villagers actually managed to defeat some of the smaller boar creatures, but the bears were still wrecking havoc; killing men and women alike, even any children they managed to get their paws on.

Kakashi gauged his chakra reserve, the short rest gave him back enough for maybe a few jutsus. These things only required a blow strong enough to kill and since they still behaved like animals, the head should do it. Kakashi pulled out exploding tags from his leg pouch, he just needed to stick them on their masks. He gathered some chakra into his feet for a quick burst of speed. Kakashi surged forward over the closest monsters and slapped the tags onto their masks. He was fast enough for them to not react in time. Many more ahead were waiting for Kakashi and they charged at their target. He ducked and pivoted himself in the air, sticking tags as he moved from one creature to another. Kakashi flipped to separate himself from the group.

With a flick of a single hand sign, the explosive tags began flashing simultaneously. Wind and dust billowed in all direction. Kakashi saw limbs and bits flying leaving trails of smoke. When it cleared, headless and severed beasts fell to the ground and dissipated, the ground charred in black soot. The largest wolf, however, survived. Kakashi narrowed his eye when he spotted the torn tag.

Another surprise came when it dashed at him with speed far faster than its brethren. Kakashi avoided the low claw with a jump. It did a complete turn with a backslash right at his torso. Kakashi grunted when he felt the hit and flew backward. With a body turn, he stabbed the kunai into the ground and spun like a clock to rid of the momentum. A boar charged at him from the side, only to hit a wooden crate.

Kakashi staggered back, one hand clutching the dirtied kunai while the other grasping at the bleeding wound. Breathing has started to labor, with so many of these monsters left, he didn't know if he would last. A bear jumped at him from out of nowhere, he was about to make another hand seal when arrows started pelting it.

He heard some yelling from the villagers behind him. To Kakashi's amazement, the people began to charge forward, weapons in hand. They lined up in front of him, holding off the beasts. A few deep breaths later, Kakashi pulled out a second kunai and pointed at the last wolf standing. He saw a few nods from the people, it seemed they understood, despite he couldn't understand a single word they were saying. He had no tags left, but if the rules of armies were the same; he just needed to kill the leader.

Using someone's shoulder as a step, Kakashi launched himself right at the targeted beast. Many creatures rushed to him, but were teetered back by barrages of arrows. The wolf attacked by jumping at him as well, claws at the ready. It opened its jaw with an animalistic roar. The spikes elongated and became lethal weapons.

Kakashi deflected the ivory bones, veering their paths while creating openings. He actually doubted these things even had any vital points like a real living being would. With cuts here and there, they didn't faze the monster at all and it wasn't getting weaker. He couldn't keep this up. Two arms came down for a smash, Kakashi dove in between its legs, stabbing its joints. Unexpectedly he got kicked hard in the torso and was flung backward. He stopped when the village's wall took the brunt force.

The wolf turned fast with a lunge, Kakashi hurriedly replaced himself with some wooden plank. He was breathing hard now, his kunais had started to chip apart. The beast didn't give him time to think when it attacked again. Kakashi tossed some shurikens at it, unsurprisingly, they merely bounced off like some annoyance.

Ah to hell with it.

Through some hand seals, Kakashi blew fire pellets at the raging monster. It worked as the wolf staggered from the blows. He dashed, both hands gripping on a kunai for a thrust. It went right through out to the creature's back, it howled in pain. Kakashi quickly let go when it swung its arms wildly. He brought two kunais and stabbed at its feet, nailing them place. He grasped at its lower jaw and pulled it open, the other hand curled its fingers, chakra began to gather into the center and lightning began to form. The sound of a thousand birds' chirping resonated, louder than anything that night.

In an almost cruel way, Kakashi shoved the concentrated ball of electricity down its throat. Its body lit up from the inside and promptly fizzled instantly into dust.

He let the Chidori die out, when it did, everything turned quiet. Kakashi saw astonishment from the villagers' faces, the black creatures didn't move as they stared at him. Only to gang up on him within seconds, completely abandoning what they were doing earlier. Kakashi picked up a random sword on the ground and charged at the leftovers. There weren't many left, and these were much slower. Once the people snapped out of their stupor, they joined in.

Before sunrise, they had managed to kill every last monster. Since they didn't leave carcasses, the only things laid on the ground were either debris or human bodies.

Kakashi was wheezing by this point, barely hanging on to the broken blade as he kneeled on one knee. His clothes and Jounin jack torn, blood running freely from the wounds, chakra level dangerously low. He glanced at the shattered moon once more before letting darkness claim him as he fell.

 **Not beta'd**

 **Author's Note: Welp, finally sat down and wrote a Naruto X RWBY fic. I did Kakashi cuz he's my favorite character from the series. Is this fic gonna go anywhere? Who knows. You can probably guess who I'm going to introduce in the future from the title alone.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A Dusty, Old Scarecrow**

 **Chapter 2**

Birds were chirping from a tree branch outside and sunlight delivered its warmth through the window pane. A soft scent of nature floated around the room along with a light breeze. Kakashi slowly opened his eye to see a green ceiling, a fan was spinning calmly in a counterclockwise direction. He blinked a few times before glancing around. The bed sheet currently covering his body felt nice and comfortable, like sheep's wool with cotton. Something felt missing on his face however. Kakashi could feel the air touching his nose and lips, he brought a hand up to feel that his mask was gone.

Kakashi frowned; he didn't like anyone touching his mask.

Kakashi grunted and tried to sit up, his body felt heavy, it's like he had been bedridden for days. Though it wasn't an unfamiliar feeling, it had happened to him before. Kakashi leaned back to the bed's headboard to observe himself. He was wearing a thick shirt with short sleeves and the neck area unbuttoned. Underneath laid bandages that wrapped around his wounds, they didn't hurt anymore at least. His arms had scuffs and scratches, but nothing major to note.

The room was a simple one; a single bed with an end table next to it, sat atop of it was a flower vase and a tray with water cup. Other far side of the room, however, hanged his usual outfit, it was completely mended. Kakashi smiled to himself in a small appreciation. Exerting some energy, Kakashi reached over for the glass of water and downed the liquid. It felt refreshing when his throat was no longer dry. He let the cup down and turned the blanket aside. Planting his feet firmly on the wooden floor, Kakashi stood up and sucked in a deep breath. He exhaled and stretched his arms while staring out the window.

His room was on the second-floor if the height indicated anything. Kakashi watched the people going about their routines, many were carrying construction tools and materials. It didn't look like a small village, but nor was it humongous like Konoha. It was peaceful place, nature took its place alongside human architecture. In some ways, it reminded him of home. The sun was nearing peak, the sky soaked in a deep blue with hardly any clouds. What a beautiful day.

 _Creakkkk_

Kakashi turned around in alert, but calmed when he saw a girl several years older than his students walking in with a tray in hand. She was carrying a new glass of water and fresh bandages. The girl wore a simple white dress, a brown sash by the waist and a red shawl draped around her shoulders. She stopped when she saw him.

"Oh, uoy'er ekawa!" she chirped excitedly.

Kakashi blinked stupidly, he didn't understand a word she just said.

"...Huh?" Was all that came from his lips.

The girl didn't seem to hear as she set the tray down, collecting the empty glass.

"I thguoht uoy'd eb gnipeels ni rof regnol," she continued to speak, "ym eman si Lilyn, I evah neeb gnikat erac fo uoy."

Still unable to comprehend what she was saying, Kakashi noticed something else; on her head were two appendages that looked like animal ears. Behind her robe was some type of bushy tail, resembling that of a squirrel. He wondered if there were others like her in this land. He had seen a fair share of ninjas with animal attributes, even Naruto was born with whisker marks thanks to the Nine-Tails.

"Um...," Kakashi tried to talk, but was interrupted.

"Dluow uoy dnim gnitfil pu ruoy trihs?" She was right in front of him, a hand out, as if expecting for him to do something.

"Uh... excuse me," Kakashi laughed lightly and raised a hand halfway up. "I can't understand what you are saying."

She looked at him in confusion, her eyes narrowed, her placed went to her hips and her ears perked up. "Tahw egaugnal era uoy gnikaeps? Nac uoy neve dnatsrednu em?"

Kakashi opened his mouth to reply, but had no idea what to say. He just forced an impish smile while scratching his head.

The girl sighed, tail swishing from behind. She put one finger up at him and said, "Ok, tiaw ereh." With that, she promptly turned around and left the room, the door closed right after.

Kakashi just shrugged, at least he understood the word "ok," that was a start. After she was gone, he removed the shirt to check the bandages; they were wrapped neatly and firmly, not too tight nor too loose. Without waiting for the girl to return, Kakashi decided to change the gauze himself. When all that's done, he took his old outfit from the hook and put it on. It fit perfectly like it always had, Kakashi was much more comfortable with the mask where it's supposed to be. He slid the headband down to cover the Sharigan eye.

He stood by the window with both hands in pockets for some time, Kakashi felt incredibly hungry. He hoped that he'd get something to eat soon or he might die, again. It would be a lot less heroic death.

The girl returned, this time carrying another tray, but this time it had food instead. A steaming bowl of porridge it seemed like. She saw him and stopped, head tilted as she raised an eyebrow.

Kakashi just waved in a friendly manner.

He could've sword he heard a small hiss from the girl when she placed the tray down, more likely at him than from the heat. She merely pointed at the bowl in a command-like gesture. Kakashi elevated the lone brow of his own at her behavior.

Was she expecting that he would listen? Sure she was nice to look at and all, but she wasn't his Hokage.

The girl didn't seem to care and collected his old bandages along with other loose stuff and strutted out the door.

Kakashi stood there, debating on what to do. He could easily escape this village and run off in some direction, but that would be rude. These people had likely helped him recover as he had with the monster trouble. Their hospitality had been nice thus far.

Besides, he was _starving_ , and that bowl of porridge looked really good.

It didn't take long to consume that delicious meal, Kakashi clasped his hands together and silently thanked for the food.

She came back eventually, she motioned toward the door and Kakashi just shrugged and did so. He saw an older man waiting for him, this person looked completely normal, no animal ears or anything. He dressed in a shirt with side buttons and a trouser long enough to reach the ankles. His facial skin lines were prominent, the graying hair spoke much about the aging man.

"Ahh, I see that you are awake and well," The man looked up. Kakashi was easily towering over him with at least a head and a half. His voice was deep and somewhat gruff and not too terribly grouchy.

But finally, he could actually understand someone.

"Yes, I must thank you for taking care of me," Kakashi replied with an eye-smile. His hands still stuck inside as he did a curt bow.

"Please do not trouble yourself with such," the man waved away at this thanks. "If anything we are indebted to you. Had you not show up that night, I'm not sure if the village would still be standing."

He nodded upward in the direction of Kakashi's room. "And she is the one who took care of you in the past three days. She is a student from our village's doctor."

Kakashi looked surprise, so he had been out for some time there. He should thank her later.

"Ah, but where are my manners," the man got Kakashi's attention. "My name is Telvi, Telvi Astralen. "

"Kakashi," he answered simply. "Just Kakashi."

"Very well, please follow me," Telvi turned toward the stairs. "Our village's Elder wishes to speak with you."

Kakashi just shrugged and relaxed his shoulders as he followed the man. The bottom floor was a mess hall of sorts, he saw people sitting by the bar chatting and drinking or eating. So this was likely an inn. There were only a few residents and a single server weaved around the empty tables cleaning them.

The few people that were there recognized him somehow and waved at him, mouthing something. They spoke in the language that he couldn't understand, just like the girl he met. Kakashi merely returned the gesture with a friendly one of his own.

Exiting the lodging, Kakashi could finally witness the village in its fullest. The main road stretched from what looked like the town's gate to a large round building further in. Shops and stores lined up on both sides, small and large ones next to each other. Kakashi thought it looked like Konoha in a way without the overabundance number of citizens walking around. Here, people could be seen in, but no way would they crowd the street.

Kakashi looked to the direction many workers were going toward. There were plenty of once broken houses being rebuilt. People yelling back and forth while the ones with able bodies carried large beams and planks of wood. Stone was also used to assemble buildings. He turned back around and continued on with Telvi.

"So I suppose you must have some questions?" Telvi asked as he walked a few paces ahead of Kakashi.

"Yes," Kakashi admitted. Damn, he really missed not having a book to read while conversing. "I can't understand what it is that people have been speaking, do the citizens here speak a different language?"

Telvi chuckled before replying. "No, it is quite the opposite. The people here are speaking a common tongue. You, however, are not."

Kakashi just tilted his head in puzzlement. "So then, how do you speak what it is that I use?"

"To be honest, I am surprised myself," Telvi said, "but if you truly do not know. It is Mistrali you are speaking, an old tongue. It is not forgotten I assure you, but not very common anymore, not outside of Mistral at least."

Mistral and Mistrali? Kakashi had never heard of such name, he guessed that's what he should consider himself if what Telvi said was true.

"Your name tells me that you are from our neighboring Kingdom of the east," Telvi continued, "do tell, which part of Mistral did you hail from?"

"Um...," Kakashi didn't know how to reply. Hell, he didn't even know what the name of this village was. Well, it couldn't hurt to try. "Konoha, to the south. It's... gone now though."

"Ah I see, my condolence," Telvi replied genuinely. "So, what made you come to Lakestone? Or are you just a passerby?"

Lakestone, so that's the village's name.

"Uh," Kakashi scratched his chin, he'd have to make something up. "Nothing, I was just lost on the road of life."

Old habits die hard he supposed.

Telvi stopped and stared at him incredulously, then barked out a good hearty laugh. He resumed the walk with a shake of his head. "Well, whatever your reason may be, we are lucky people indeed. Nevertheless, here we are."

They stopped at a pair of doors, Telvi slid one opened and invited Kakashi inside. He did so and observed that there was another set upstairs leading up. There was nothing much in the rooms except for paintings on the wall. They looked like those of folklore or fairy tales. Interesting really, especially when he saw depictions of the black creatures, this time in more different forms than those he had seen.

"Please head up, the Elder is waiting for you," Telvi spoke, hand gesturing at the steps. "I shall be waiting down here in my office." And with that, he left for a door close by.

Kakashi nodded and lead himself toward the circular wood stair. Along the wall hanged more paintings, though they looked more like a timeline of sort. It started from a drawing of humans coming to a new land for settlement, then a village grew. Then the creatures began popping, at first it was a small number, paintings after paintings, they increased. Even one point they were overwhelmed, but the village didn't go without hope. Warriors showed up, each wielding a different weapon. They slaughtered the monsters and people lived on.

That was the last one Kakashi saw as the rest laid empty—almost like an unfinished story. He saw another door at the end of the stairway and opened it. The room inside was far more spacious than he had expected. The large windows allowed the area to be brightly lit. Plants in pots sat in each corner, a broad bookcase occupied his side of the wall. A large desk situated on a far end of the room, behind it a large map.

Kakashi found the Elder sitting on the opposite side, painting on a canvas. The Elder spun his stool and met Kakashi. His first impression was different from what he was expecting; the man looked younger than he had thought, probably around his early fifties. He wore a simple ivory robe with some adornments around the collar. His black hair was tied into a tail, he wore glasses that rested on the nose bridge.

"Ah, welcome," he greeted warmly and his mouth stretched into a smile. "I am Molrin Darel, this village's Elder."

"Kakashi," he answered. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes," Molrin stood up, placing the paintbrush down on the palette. He went over to the chair behind the desk and motioned a hand at a seat in front of it. "But first, please sit down Kakashi."

Kakashi did as suggested. The chair was comfortable leather, he sat with both hands still inside his pockets. He waited for the man to start the conversation.

"Firstly, I must express my gratitude on the behalf of the townspeople," Molrin clasped his hands together. "We were not expecting such a huge amount of Grimm attack three nights ago."

Grimm? Those black creatures? That's what they were called? Kakashi mused, the name fitted them well. He nodded as Molrin continued.

"We lost many good people that night," Molrin sadly conveyed, "but with a luck of fate, you came out of nowhere and slain them. I wasn't aware of any huntsman operating nearby, are you from Haven by any chance?"

Kakashi shrugged. He wondered whether he should answer truthfully, was there really anything to lose. Huntsman? Some kind of hunter that went around killing the Grimm creatures? Haven? Was that a city?

Molrin leaned forward and examined Kakashi. "You're not from around here are you?"

"… no," he admitted, relaxing in his seat. "I'm just someone who's lost."

"I see...," Molrin raised a brow in curiosity, then his expression softened. "Well, do you know where you are then?"

Kakashi shook his head.

Molrin swiveled his chair and let Kakashi see the map with a closer view. It comprised of about six notable landmarks. They're oddly shapes, most of them are rather narrow and spread apart, unlike the Elemental Nations. They sort of looked like animals or something, he couldn't really put his fingers on it. Although now, he was completely sure he got thrown into some other world.

"Remnant, as the world is called and we are here, in the kingdom of Vale," Molrin put a finger on the land that was situated near the center of the map. The village near the large mountain range. His pointer shifted upward to the left and drew an invisible circle. "This is the City of Vale, the capital. It's also where the Huntsman school, Beacon Academy, resides."

Kakashi nodded as he took in the information. He felt like a student at the Konoha academy again. In a sense, it's nostalgic, but he graduated early for many reasons, one being that he hated how slow and weak his peers were. He didn't like being held back.

What could he say, he was a snobby kid. That arrogance eventually bit his ass when he was twelve. Kakashi internally sighed and pushed away the thoughts.

"Vacuo, once the largest deposit of Dust, but now a barren wasteland." It was the land connected to the west of Vale. Molrin pointed upward. "Atlas. An isolated and cold region with the most advanced technology. And lastly," he moved to the continent with a giant hole in the middle. "Mistral, the land of diverse cultures and artistry."

"Hmm," Kakashi pointed with a finger. "What about the other ones?"

Molrin placed his finger on the most southern landmass. "This here is Menagerie, a secluded home for the faunus."

Faunus? As in, animals? Like the girl who tended to him?

"What about that one," Kakashi's lone eye aimed at the peculiar looking continent that laid above Vacuo.

"Simple, we know nothing about it. That place still remained a mystery 'til this day," Molrin answered. He stared at Kakashi for a good while before sitting back down. His fingers twiddled at a cup of tea nearby, it wasn't hot, but rather cool. Molrin sipped as he looked out to the window. "You're really far away from home, aren't you?"

Kakashi nodded and sighed. "Yeah. Very far."

"Do you wish to go back?"

Kakashi paused at that. Part of him wished to find a way back to the Leaf Village, perhaps he could then witness what had happened. The other part reminded him that he was ready to die at the time. He understood that there was no way back unless he was reanimated as someone's pawn. Yet here he was, alive as ever, talking to a stranger he just met.

His father was hardly ever wrong, did Kakashi still really have something he's meant to do? He wanted to believe that, he really did. His entire life had not been entirely sunshine and rainbow, frankly it's been completely shit now that he thought about it, but there were some merits. Living past the age of thirty was rare enough for a shinobi.

Kakashi knew that he had lost a lot, making mistakes over and over again. Hell, he even joined ROOT during a low point of his life, right after the Nine Tails' attack. However, he found a way out, the Third Hokage had put him ANBU. Kakashi protected Konoha in any way he could. Eventually he saw himself in front of three freshly graduated Genins.

When they were the first kids to pass his test and Kakashi caught a glimpse of a future then. Again, he screwed up, he neglected a brilliant kunoichi and his sensei's son for someone hellbent on revenge. Sasuke reminded Kakashi of himself he supposed. At first he was just told by the Third to train him and keep Naruto's seal in check, Sakura was just an extra. He wasn't a good teacher to Team Seven in retrospect. Things might've gone differently had he not put them up for the Chunin Exam.

In the end though, he felt a bit of redemption. Kakashi had managed to witness Naruto finishing the Rasengan, a feat that not even the Fourth could accomplish. Naruto might have not noticed, but after the invasion of Konoha, the villagers had already begun to whisper his name in a good light. With each successful mission their appreciation grew. If he could defeat, no, once he defeated Pein, the village would see the hero they once shunned.

His Will of Fire burned brightly and Kakashi had faith in Naruto, he would be the Hokage one day.

Kakashi looked at the birds flying outside the window and smiled slightly to himself. For once in his life he was proud of himself. He had helped plant the seed that would flourish into a beautiful garden, he was sure of that. It's a shame that he wouldn't get to see it.

He glanced back to Molrin to give an answer, but the village's Elder raised a hand to stop him from doing so.

"There's no need," he spoke, sipping on the tea gently. "I can see that you have lived through a hard life, an answer is not necessary. Here at Lakestone, you are always welcomed."

Kakashi blinked at the explanation, or lack thereof, nevertheless he gave an eye-smile full of gratitude. He supposed the dead should stay where they were and he had earned himself some rest. The thought of the Grimm creatures clawed its way back to his thought. If they were so rampant to attack the village in such a number, how had the town stayed intact? Huntsmen?

"The village," Kakashi began, garnering Molrin's attention. "How did it survive for so long with all those creatures attacking?"

"Ah," Molrin replied. "When our scouts spot a large number of Grimm, we would send a request to Beacon Academy for Huntsmen and they provide the service. Their students do need the experience after all"

Kakashi nodded. It sounded like how Konoha operated, just a simple demand and supply basis. He was curious about this academy however, it seemed prestigious from the name alone.

"What about those Grimm things from the night before?" Kakashi questioned.

Molrin sighed heavily. "Sometimes the lack of Huntsmen requires more time for their arrival. Many places have fell to the Grimm that way. After all, only few ever chose the life of a Huntsman. Vale itself does not have a military unlike Atlas. We just make do with what we have."

"I see," Kakashi thought to himself. Not having an actual military is just an awful idea in his experience. If there was one thing shinobis were made for, it's that they're efficient soldiers. It's part of the culture and lifestyle in the Elemental Nations. Unlike this world Remnant, people killed each other, not some ruthless and savage creatures. As much as he liked the idea of settling down, part of him wanted to explore the lands.

"We did ask for assistance a little over a week ago, we have yet to receive a response," he pressed on with an indifferent look. "It's not uncommon, we don't live too far from the Kingdom so help just arrives a bit on the late side."

It was fair, killing the Grimm was easily equivalent to a C or B-rank mission. If there were something significantly stronger and posed a serious threat, Kakashi imagined it'd be higher. That brought up another thought, he needed money. He always kept some emergency Ryo, but he doubted the currency would work. Maybe he could self-employ as one of these Huntsmen? Kakashi was confident in his skillset, very confident.

"So is it what those paintings are?" Kakashi inferred, head tilting in said direction. "The village's history?"

The man chuckled and nodded. "Very much so. Every time when a noteworthy occasion happens, the Elders record it through paintings. It's a tradition now."

"Ahhh..." Kakashi took a peek at the piece in progress. It was unfinished, but he could see the painted part. He recognized the black creatures as Grimm, a person was fighting them with lightning in his hand. "That's—"

"You," Molrin affirmed with a grin. "It was quite a site to behold. I didn't know Dust could be used like that, or was that a Semblance for lightning?"

"Errr..." Dust? The man mentioned something about it with the whole Vacuo land. Was it some kind of energy fuel? And Semblance? The hell was that? Kakashi just smiled unsurely. "Something like that."

"That reminds me," Molrin got his attention. He stood up to go to a cabinet and procured something. When it landed into Kakashi's hands, he felt some sort of rich cloth. "A thank you gift from me personally."

Kakashi spread it apart to see that it was a rather a thick scarf with an emblem of a river blazoned at one end. It was in a light blue in color, contrasting against his usual navy blue outfit.

"Thank you." Kakashi gave an earnest look. He couldn't remember the last time he felt grateful more than once a day. He liked the feeling quite a bit.

"It is of no trouble," the man replied and looked at a clock nearby. "I have taken much of your time today, perhaps you should take a stroll through our village, we may not be sizable, but I assure you will find many things to your liking."

Kakashi just shrugged.

Molrin chuckled again.

"The room you were at is yours to use however you like. Please don't refrain from asking. Should the language barrier becomes a problem, we have people who are capable to teach you."

Meaning becoming a student again, Kakashi mentally sighed. As if he had a choice in that matter though. He gave Molrin a curt nod and stood up with one hand holding the gift.

"I hope you find your stay enjoyable and accommodating," Molrin bid him in parting.

Kakashi just smiled at him and left the room. He didn't see Telvi on the way out, he must be working. He decided to go back to his room. With the day still long, he would find the library later to acquire some books he could understand, if not then he'd have to get a translator. How troublesome, truly.

When the sun had dipped down behind the western mountains hours prior, the shattered moon glowed brightly taking its place. Kakashi sat there on his bed watching it. The village had gone quiet as a grave. Not a single sound from humans could be heard, but only from winds blowing and leaves rustling. Because he came into this world with nothing but personal possessions he carried, the room laid bare and empty. The only thing reminiscent of his old life was the Jounin vest and the Leaf headband, the former hanged in a closet and the latter within his palms, its metal piece glinting from the moonlight.

He felt alone, he knew nobody and nobody knew him. The new language and people made him feel like an alien, an outcast. Kakashi didn't belong here and he understood that, but he didn't have any other choice. Kakashi would have to adapt, he was good at that, but he really missed the Leaf Village. Maybe it's the old age talking.

So he sat there, watching the moon from his bed of an empty room, pondering of what to become of his future.

 **Not beta'd**

 **Author's Note: So I wrote the second chapter, yayyyy! I really appreciate the supports so far for this story, thank you all very much! I would like it ever more if you guys would bring up any form of criticisms so I can pay attentions for future chapters. This one is basically an exposition for Kakashi's predicament, hopefully it makes sense. I'm gonna have to practice more on my descriptions and whatnot, blegh, oh well, this is just the beginning anyway. We'll see some RWBY characters eventually, don't worry about the OCs, I just put them in to fill in the world lol.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A Dusty, Old Scarecrow**

 **Chapter 3**

Color him surprised when Kakashi actually got paid for what he did. It was a decent amount too, initially they had offered more, but he opted for less. He was never the type for spending and he was actually rich back in Konoha. All the pay from the S-rank missions along with his father's will made him stinkingly loaded. Shame all of that was gone now.

This new currency was called Lien. It came in the form of hard cards with a black strip on the back. Kakashi was actually impressed by the technology in this world. Lakestone wasn't as advanced compared to the other cities or towns since the people preferred the simple way of life. The first thing he did with the paycheck was going to the smithy with Telvi, or weapon forge as the smith preferred to call it, and ordered a fresh supply of shurikens and kunais. Kakashi wasn't sure at first if it was possible, but luckily the man knew what they were. It would take a few days so Kakashi had to make due with the few that he still had. In the meanwhile, he got himself a decently lengthy straight blade, more commonly known as the ninjato.

Apparently he could find advanced weaponry that used the Crystal Dust to enhance their combat ability. Other ways deemed archaic were to infuse Dust in its powder form into clothes or the wielder's own body. Dust was a big deal and themselves contained natural elemental energy in their purest form, he wondered if he could incorporate them into his arsenal. Sure he had lots of jutsus, but having more never hurt.

Since Kakashi could stay in the rental room indefinitely without having to worry about payment, he still had some leftovers to spend. So he bought some new clothes and gears. He was a good ranged fighter to some degree, but Kakashi excelled at close quarters. In the end he opted for some arm and leg guards made of lightweight metal; strong enough to withstand blows to some extent and light enough to move swiftly. Kakashi preferred his sandals, closed-toe was never his thing. Sure he may have stubbed his toes as a kid and cried like a little wuss, but them toes probably built strong resistance to force anyway.

At least he hoped so.

Kakashi decided to leave the Konoha flak jacket behind for a moderately thick grey chest piece with metal plates within. Unlike the jacket it didn't have any holds to keep his scrolls so Kakashi ended up keeping those in his back pouch. His ninjato sat sideway right above it by the waist. More or less he kept his looks similar to when he was in ANBU.

The calm wind was weaving its way through his silver locks, it wasn't chilly in the slightest bit and brought a relaxing sensation to his skin. Kakashi sat there on a large branch that protruded from one of the many humongous trees surrounding the area. A small creek of water flowed right beneath, the soft sound of water wading through patchy rocks was a lullaby to his ears. Birds chirping could be heard in the distance along with other wildlife noises that Kakashi was accustomed to.

Beyond him was a sea of green trees reaching far to the base of a mountain in the distance. The sun was nearing its peak with hardly any clouds floating in the blue sky. In his hands was a rice ball and without the obstructing mask, Kakashi took a bite out of his lunch. If there was one thing he really loved about Lakestone, it's the food. Pretty much every place and stand that he had been to, the cuisine was always stellar, not too mention they weren't pricey. It's difficult to even find something he didn't like about the village, other than the fact that they had no dedicated combatants to fight the Grimm, Kakashi was fond of it already.

Hence the reason he was here outside the walls, he'd decide to the task of eliminating any of the monsters lurking about. The Huntsmen Lakestone had requested for still had not shown up. A part of Kakashi felt annoyed at the tardiness, sure he himself may have showed up late to meetings, but he would never come running late for a mission. The other part empathized with them, the dangerous lifestyle wasn't to everyone's taste, meaning less willing participants, causing for even less capable soldiers to send into the field. It sucked and Kakashi knew it. There were many ninjas who graduated, but in the end they quit that life when it wasn't as grand as it first seemed.

Kakashi held in front of him a book, with free times in the past few days, he had been studying the new language. It was difficult to grasp its concept considering it was written completely opposite. These people read from left to right for crying out loud. At least he was learning it academically correct since there were texts in Mistrali being used for translation. Borrowing a page from Naruto's book, Kakashi used shadow clones in disguises to converse with people for socializing purpose. Unlike his student however, he couldn't spam it recklessly or use in a long period of time. It was a steady progress and Kakashi would surely be fluent within a month or two.

As he ate, Kakashi heard something land next to him, he looked down to see a small white and brown striped bird, it was short in length and a bit chubby overall; a sparrow. It stared at him with its beady eyes as its head twitched left and right. It was curious for his food, or rather, wanted the rice. Kakashi chipped a small piece and laid it out on the branch. He watched the tiny feathery creature pecking at the grain with interest before eating. When finished, the bird happily chirped at him and flew to his shoulder. Kakashi just smiled at it and gave some more.

When lunch break was over, Kakashi dusted his hands of food crumbs and closed the book. He then took out a map and unfolded it. There were many X's marked upon the paper, Kakashi had managed to kill many Grimm he had found within three days. He initially attempted to find some sort of patterns in their movements and activities, however, everything pointed to any humans within the area. It's interesting to know that these monsters were not completely mindless as he had witnessed one capable of having intelligence. Those tend to be larger in size in comparison to their packs.

Kakashi had seen three types of common Grimm: Boarbatusk, Beowolf, and Ursa. From the bestiary that he got, there were more in different animals, such as scorpions, gorillas, snakes or even giant birds that looked like crows. The Grimm remained dominant as a species, causing for the humans and faunus populace to retreat into their own kingdoms or territories. It had been a struggle to survive for over a century.

His legs dangled from the branch as he looked over the map once more, this time the mask put back in its place. A large majority of the areas had been covered. Kakashi drew lines in through many sections of the geographic chart and narrowed down to where packs of Grimm could be found or potentially so. The sparrow still hadn't leave his happy little shoulder perch so Kakashi just scratched it by the front with a finger. The little creature tweeted happily.

With the map folded and tucked neatly in the pouch, Kakashi bent both arms back and pushed himself off the tree. When he began to fall the bird flapped its wings in a startle. He hopped from branch to branch to reach his destination quickly. He could hear the bird struggle to keep up so he slowed down. Kakashi wasn't sure why the little guy was following him, but it was a welcome companion if he was being honest.

It pained him when Kakashi made and attempt to summon Pakkun and his dogs. Nothing happened when he slammed his hand down. He knew the rules: the summoning contract is void upon death. But he had raised those trackers since they were pups so it hurt when Kakashi realized that he would never see them again.

When he was slow enough, the sparrow nestled itself in his somewhat unkept hair. It chirped repeatedly and he wasn't sure if those sounds came from anger or not. Kakashi pet its head and resumed the pace once more.

 _Grrrrrrrrrr..._

He slowed down and came to a stop upon a high up tree branch. Kakashi looked down and saw a pack of Boarbatusks creeping around in no particular direction. There were about five or six of them in total and they weren't very big. He had to completely rely on his five human senses to find the Grimm as he could not detect any source of life from them. At least he never had to touch nor taste the creepy things.

Throughout his thirty-one years of living, Kakashi had grown uncommitted to emotions. He rarely felt a strong mental state considering how neutral he was to almost everything. Loneliness and regrets kicked in once in awhile, but Kakashi would keep himself busy with missions. These Grimm were attracted to negative emotions, the stronger it was, the hungrier they got.

Kakashi knew how to suppress his feelings to a zip, if these creatures were invisible to his sense, so was he to them. The Grimm scuttled about, they weren't sniffing, eating or looking for anything in particular, from afar it would've looked as if they were behaving like real animals. But he knew better. If these things were left unchecked, they would undoubtedly stumble upon Lakestone or any nearby human settlements.

It made no sound when the ninjato unsheathed itself from the scabbard. Kakashi twirled the blade until it stood upright in a straight grip. There was no hesitation when Kakashi launched himself forward holding the sword with both hands. Decades of experience allowed him to perform the execution without a single flaw. Brute strength wasn't everything when it came to power, speed could amplify it times more than muscles ever could, but with both and the proper technique, Kakashi was able to maximize the effectiveness of the strike most efficiently.

The beast didn't stand a chance before its head had rolled onto the ground. Other Grimm finally picked up on what was happening and prepared themselves for the sudden confrontation. A fight meant two sides would stand on equal grounds to clash against one another.

But this was a mere slaughter in Kakashi's eyes.

He dashed between each monster, delivering a clean killing blow. The Boarbatusks boasted strong armors that would withstand steel, but in return exposed on their undersides, that which Kakashi exploited.

His blade spun upward, its sharp edge cut from near the handguard to the tip. No part of the ninjato was wasted in dispatching these Grimm. Another head flew into the air, before it could even hit the grass, Kakashi had moved to another Boarbastusk that jumped trying to attack him. He ducked and thrusted the weapon upward and cleaved the monster in half. The fourth one along with the fifth were charging with their speed building up. Kakashi positioned himself between both and jumped.

Both of the Grimm collided against each other and squealed loudly when they flipped over, tusks entangled themselves. With two strokes Kakashi had sundered the creatures of their pitiful lives. The last one circled him as the smokes of its brethren began to dissipate.

If he didn't know better, he would've said that it was scared.

This one certainly didn't possess any intelligence although—it ran at him with its tusks aimed outward dangerously. Kakashi sidestepped and seized the ivory bit, taking advantage of its momentum, and directed it into a spin, resulting the Grimm being thrown onto its back while its legs squirmed uselessly.

Steel plunged into its belly and the legs stilled. Only black smoke followed afterward.

When all was done, Kakashi drew out the map and marked the spot. He found the writing utensil called a pen very convenient, unlike traditional brushes the ink was kept within and could be used for a very long time. It did take him a couple of hours just to get used to the instrument. Kakashi kept the line going until it stopped at a meeting point.

Throughout the map, Kakashi kept a check on the number of Grimm in each encounter. He charted the volume in an ascending order, hoping to narrow down the point of origin. It was a similar method to that of a fork, a large pack would eventually spread themselves. Kakashi had eliminated the possibility of randomization when he remembered the more experienced monsters. They acted somewhat like leaders of each group, so perhaps there could be a Grimm that commanded all of them. These beings still possessed animalistic behaviors at times, he had no doubt that the alphas existed.

And by the law of nature, no two alphas would rule together.

From X's to X's, Kakashi saw a connection. He continued the pattern and noticed that they all intersected at one point of the map. So he looked to its direction, above the treelines stood the tallest one of them all. According to the paper being held in his hands, laid the swamp area. For the villagers, it's a "No Man's Land." Many people have ventured out and never returned. He was warned about that place before he began hunting. It didn't cross his mind then considering the distance it sat from the town.

Kakashi wasn't sure how long it would take to completely explore the swamp. A trip back to replenish supplies was in order. With that decision in mind, he tucked the map and began heading back to Lakestone.

He had almost completely forgot the sparrow until its talons started shuffling around. Its little head peaked over and looked at him from his headband. Kakashi just pushed it back with a finger and smiled to himself when he felt it squirmed a bit. At least he had a travelling companion, trips like this wouldn't feel as lonely anymore.

Now if only it could talk, that'd be something.

It didn't take him long to arrive, small dosage of chakra sped up the trek quite quickly. Kakashi reached the gate in within a few hours. He had to give props to the workers, they fixed the place fast.

Something was out of place he observed. Right outside the wall sat a vehicle of sort. It was made of steel and contained two large sections protruding from both sides, similar to that of wings. At their tips were large lean pods, however, the black part remained open. The machine stood on four small landing gears. It had a tail with three angular parts. If Kakashi'd had to guess, this thing could fly, and probably it's used for transport.

The longer he stayed in this world, the more things to marvel at. What's next? A giant mech with insane weaponry?

There was no one currently in or by the vehicle, Kakashi left the machine and made his way through the gate. Several people recognized him and waved in greetings. He return the gestures albeit half-heartedly. He could feel the sparrow poking its head out from all the noises and eyed around. He just let it be and headed straight for the Elder's office.

Kakashi heard that a conversation was occurring when he got close to the door. He could maybe make out a few words, but understanding still required a lot of time. Still having a sense of decorum, he knocked. The speaking stopped.

"Come in!" He caught Molrin's invitation and opened the door.

Inside he saw four other people standing before the Elder's desk. All of them around late teens. A girl with rabbit ears, some red headed blind kid? A tall young man and a shorter teen that looked very fashionable. Kakashi could only see the large blade the lanky kid was carrying. The others must have hidden theirs.

They didn't look to be in uniform with how different they all dressed. Bunny girl had a brown jacket and pants with golden parts mixed in. She had a box of some kind behind the waist. With those giant ears, he's sure that she's a faunus.

The boy next to her looked a lot plainer, fringed copper hair, orange vest and black pants. This one had a lot of scars running across both arms, even one sat vertically by his lips. His white eyes gave Kakashi some Hyuuga flashback, hopefully he's not an uptight one like those bunch.

Mister tall swordsman had short black hair, wore a tea green half-robe of sorts and shoulder guard on his left. Brown pants and black boots. He looked to be a pure strength fighter in Kakashi's opinion.

Finally the one that's been peering at him from above her black glasses. She looked fancy all right, dark brown hair with a wavy lock in caramel color. A black headwear that tipped over, light brown long-sleeved shirt, a cincher? Or was it a corset? Ah, it's not like he'd ever understand women's fashion anyway. Rough looking black long trousers and belts hanging all over her. On those straps consisted of many, many, many brass looking thingies.

The tall one gave him a short formal bow, with one hand in closed fist against an open palm. Bunny girl bowed and the red head nodded at him curtly. Fashion Girl didn't move at all. Kakashi lazily waved at the group and walked to Molrin. Hopefully he wasn't interrupting anything important.

"Ah, Kakashi, welcome back." Molrin began, fingers pushing against each other, and his attention completely on the scarecrow. "How fares your hunt?"

"Good, nothing too troublesome anyway," Kakashi answered and took out his map. He spread it across the table. He could practically feel the curiosity from the room's other occupants. Fashion Girl stared at the paper with an eyebrow raised. Kakashi could barely spot it from his peripheral vision. "I think I found the source."

He had drawn a giant circle around the intersection point.

Multiple times.

In red.

"No Man's Land, I see," Molrin murmured, eyes still fixated on the map. He then looked at Kakashi. "Are you sure you can handle this?"

"Positive," Kakashi nodded.

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa!" Fashion Girl interrupted the conversation. She thumbed in Kakashi's direction while facing Molrin. "Who's this guy?"

She spoke in the foreign language, but Kakashi caught on the simple words.

Molrin switched his tongue when he replied to the girl. "This is Kakashi, he's neeb a taerg help in gnithgif ffo the Grimm."

Kakashi waved again.

Fashion Girl eyed him up and down, clearly unimpressed if her slouched posture was any indication. What a brat. Kakashi's eye involuntarily twitched ever so slightly when she tipped her glasses down with a finger. Here now clearly visible eyes displayed their dark-brown color. If he wasn't mistaken, this girl adored chocolate.

She began observing him by walking around, Kakashi could feel her gaze upon every bit of his equipment—from the way he dressed to gear. She was back to his side instantly and crossed her arms.

"You don't kool so evisserpmi," she commented, voice sounding rather haughty.

He couldn't catch two words from that sentence however.

"I'm... sorry?" Kakashi replied.

Before the girl would say anything, Molrin chimed in with an understanding smile. "Please excuse Kakashi, he is a wen nosrep morf Mistral. Gninrael to speak a new egaugnal is a bit tluciffid for him."

The girl looked incredulous, but composed with a cough when Bunny Girl smacked her shoulder. "Right, uh...," she glanced at the tall swordsman for assistance. He bowed in understanding and spoke in Mistrali.

"Our apologies for not knowing," the tall kid expressed truthfully. "My name is Yatsuhashi Daichi. This is Fox Alistair, Velvet Scarlatina, and our leader Coco Adel."

"Nice to meet you all," Kakashi answered with another wave. He sure did that a lot today. Kakashi silently thanked that someone could speak something he understood. "And no worries, it happens."

"Thank you for understanding," the swordsman named Yatsuhashi bowed once more as he responded. That's one polite teen at least. "We are Huntsmen-in-training sent from Beacon Academy to assist Lakestone with Grimm extermination."

Kakashi looked at the group and turned his attention to Molrin for confirmation. The Elder acknowledged that fact.

"We are discussing the matter of whether we are still in need of their service," Molrin explained as he reached a hand in the students' direction. "Any other day we would've proceed without problems, but since we've hired you, it is a bit... complicated you see."

"Ahhhh," Kakashi understood. "Lakestone is contracted to this Beacon Academy for protection against the Grimm, but now there's a third party involved. Namely, me."

"That's about it," the Elder admitted with a sigh.

He knew the system well, Konoha and every major villages had used the same method. Towns and cities in tradescraft would often run into bandits or monsters or even rogue shinobis, therefore they made agreements with villages to hire official ninjas as guards. From people in the upper hierarchy, most requests were that of 'diplomatic' issues.

As a result, the Hidden Villages with most influences would end up securing the majority of revenue sources. Desperation often haunted smaller places and eventually they turned to war to survive. The invasion of Konoha by the Sand Village was one of the few examples.

Since requests were separated into ranks, upfront payments were required, or contracts that spanned in a definite time. Not all could afford the cost so in the end, they turned to mercenaries. Though significantly less expensive, they produced far inferior quality services.

Kakashi currently belonged in the latter. He had no name, no license, no home of import, and no record whatsoever. Despite all that, he got the job done, quickly and efficiently. Since Lakestone had gone with a third party, it would possibly a breach to the contract to Beacon Academy.

How troublesome indeed.

Oh damn, he was becoming like a Nara.

"Basically you can't turn them away," Kakashi concluded and Molrin showed his admittance. He glanced at the four teens and shrugged. "I suppose you can just let them do their job. In the meantime, I'll head over to the swamp and figure out something there."

Molrin contemplated on the suggestion and concurred, "seems fair enough." The Elder divulged the agreement to the Huntsmen-in-training. By the end, it earned him looks of surprised, at least from three of them. Fashion Girl didn't bother hiding her annoyance and pushed her glasses back with an index finger.

"Kool ereh retsim, this is ruo maet's tsrif noissim and ereht's no ecnahc ni lleh uoy teg lla the nuf," she more or less commanded him then leaned back with a huff. "And did you yllaer etanimretxe lla esoht Grimm? You nod't kool lla taht hguot to me."

Kakashi just blinked at her statement being unable to make sense of what she just said. He looked to Yatsuhashi for a translation. Instead of repeating of what she spoke, he scratched his sideburn and chuckled.

"Again, our apologies for our leader's action. This is our team's first official mission without being mentored by a Huntsman," Yatsuhashi began to explain. "So she is a bit excited that's all."

The so-called team leader stood with her back arched and arms crossed, looking arrogantly as ever.

"Although I must ask, are you not affiliated to any kingdom or academy?" He questioned.

Well, Kakashi technically had his ninja identification, though he doubted it would do him any good. He shook his head. "No, I'm just a freelancer."

Yatsuhashi nodded at his response and spoke to his team, about what Kakashi didn't know. He was getting bored. He honestly just wanted to grab the supplies and head back out already. The teens finished their little discussion fairly quickly, their leader Coco suddenly took a great interest in Kakashi's map and made a demand to Molrin. She had a wide grin on her face as her eyes focused intensely on the paper. It looked almost bloodthirsty.

"So," the Elder informed him, "Team Coffee has come to a solution that they will head to the swamp and you can consider your part finished."

Wait, what.

Kakashi raised a brow at that suggestion. He was finished? These damn kids. And what kind of team name was Coffee?

"Hold up," he raised a hand, getting everyone's attentions. "With all due respect."

Also known as 'screw you'.

"I took this job and will see it through. I don't leave my work unfinished."

A part of him wanted to figure out where these creatures came from, the other just highly annoyed by these kids who were still in school. Not only did their 'help' arrive late, now they were demanding that he leave his task to them.

No one took Kakashi's stuff, ever.

His bird agreed too.

Wait.

The sparrow chirped loudly at the teens unexpectedly. Kakashi hadn't even noticed when the bird decided to pop out. From the tone of its tweet, it sounded almost annoyed as well. Could it feel his emotion or something?

The room's occupants all stared at the bird incredulously.

"Awwww!" Bunny Girl, Velvet, gushed at the little animal. She even attempted to reach out wanting to touch him, but quickly retracted her hand looking highly embarrassed.

Molrin chuckled loudly.

"Found a new friend I see."

Kakashi mirthly laughed a little as well, hand reach back to scratch his nape. "Yeah, little guy came for my food and decided to stay."

Fashion Girl Coco snorted a laugh and snapped her finger to her team. She said something to Lakestone's Elder and gave Kakashi a smirk before excitedly walked out. Her team followed, but their good-byes were far more friendly. When the door was closed Kakashi turned to Molrin for answer.

"They're departing for the swamp right now," Molrin remarked. "The bullhead right outside is taking them there. You should grab your supplies and go now or they'll leave without you."

Kakashi sighed at that. He couldn't help but felt an uncomfortable feeling regarding the marshland. He could handle anything thrown at him, but the appearance of those Beacon students brewed something within. He sure as hell didn't want to babysit them.

"I'll catch up on foot," Kakashi tiredly expressed. "I'm more used to it."

Molrin arched a brow at that, but didn't question him further. "Before I forget, Andre has your order completed so be sure to find him before you leave. You can find him at the forge."

Kakashi acknowledged it and began heading for the door. "Thanks, I'll get right on it."

"Oh, and do be careful. We don't really know what lives in the bog."

With a thumbs up, Kakashi strolled right through the office door without looking back. The sparrow chirped happily as they left.

 **Update: beta'd by MischievousRose.**

 **Author's Notes: late on this chapter, woops. I've been sick lately so it sucks. This chapter was originally longer, but I decided to cut the second part for another time. Finally we get to meet characters from the RWBY verse! Might not be who you guys were expecting, but I don't intend to write a generic story so I won't be spoiling anything. Drop a review and tell me what you guys like or didn't like!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A Dusty, Old Scarecrow**

 **Chapter 4**

Approximately three-days worth of ration were stored within storage scrolls, by Kakashi's standard, it would probably be seen a lot less than an average citizen's. He rarely ever ate a full leisure meal, he couldn't even remember the last time he had sat down on what could be considered a proper dining table. Everything had always been grab-and-go for him. This was no different.

Smith Andre surprised Kakashi when he presented with possibly the finest steel blade he had ever seen. It was made with the best material he could acquire. This one had more weight and its metal's reflection was radiant as compared to the more dull tone of his other one. The handle was wrapped beautifully in red and black.

Kakashi simply placed the second ninjato just right above his old one but its handle faced the left.

The forger also claimed that if Kakashi wished for more advanced model that had the ability to operate with Dust, he would need to go into the major city. Kakashi didn't mind so much, simplicity had always been his style. A new set of shurikens and kunais were also included within the package.

Deciding that he was all set, Kakashi fled for the village's gate. The sun was setting soon, but he would rather arrive before nightfall. He wasn't sure how fast those flying ships were, but he figured they're quick enough.

His little feathered companion tagged along as expected by nesting itself within his silver locks. Kakashi just hoped it wouldn't have any bird crap in there. He hadn't thought of a name just yet, perhaps after the mission he'd come up with something.

The forest was dauntingly beautiful, orange rays beaming from a radiating sun were shadowed by clusters of leaves wavering from the wind. Sounds of trees rustling reverberated throughout the woodland. Foliage's color of green contrasted with a strong bright glow from the sky and darkened by massive shades.

Animals could be spotted in the distance, both on the ground and upon tree branches. Flocks of birds soared far above the thicket, dotting the sky in black and brown. Strips of clouds scattered throughout, showing the luminescent glow along their edges. The twilight hour was truly some of the most beautiful time of a day should anyone had the time to admire it.

Speed was one of Kakashi's fortes, he knew he was close when signs of conflicts began to show. Trees with torn branches, burnt grasses and holes penetrated right through the thick barks. Slash marks remained from the struggle still. Kakashi could see where the large sword had hit judging from the long blemish it made upon the grass.

If those students really did use the flying vehicle as transport, then the ship most likely parked itself somewhere in a clearing. Kakashi continued to follow the sign of destruction. One thing he was sure of, these kids were not the subtle kind, if the destruction was any indication.

He didn't encounter a single Grimm, Kakashi supposed that was a good thing. There would be no delays to his trek.

Seeing a tree taller than most, Kakashi decided to scale it for a vantage point. Putting just enough chakra to the soles of his feet, he stopped at a branch and ran up the trunk. Nearing the top he gripped a wooden limp and launched upward. With newly added weight, the tip toppled over slightly and swayed in the wind. Kakashi held on strong as he examined the area. The sun was more than halfway hidden behind the western mountain range. Within an hour, the moon would take its place in the black night riddled with stars.

Kakashi saw a thin trail of smoke climbing toward the darkening sky. It looked to be from a small fire, most likely where the group had made camp. He wondered whether he should go toward them or be on his way instead. He wasn't here to watch over them. For now, his task took priority.

From this distance, he should be able to make it to the swamp's edge before nightfall. A night's rest would do him well for morning's excursion. Kakashi's eye narrowed when he spotted a large black bird circling the area, a Nevermore it was called. Several smaller versions of the avian creature flocked about the mother Grimm. According to the bestiary, Nevermore displayed habits similar to that of a raptor. They mostly depended on their speed and precision to strike preys. Like all flying creatures, if it's grounded, it's good as dead.

He slid down the tree and resumed his hike. The closer Kakashi got to the marshland, the more damp the land felt. Smells of wet dirt and plants invaded his perceptive nose. Little sloshing noises in the distant could be heard. Everything had begun to feel bleak and ominous. Night had fallen and lights from the moon and stars could barely breach through the thicket.

Traversing in the dark was the optimal way for a shinobi to operate. Swift, covert, and ghostlike were the attributes required for an elite ninja, even more so especially on sensitive missions. Kakashi proudly harbored all of these traits and possessed many further. Except for the fact that he was trained in combating humans, not monsters.

Most Grimm were active during the day, leaving the lesser population more dangerous at night. The creature's natural black coat would camouflage into the darkness, causing to spot them much harder. Some species also had very silent movements, almost impossible to detect. They had no distinctive smell therefore Kakashi was forced to rely on any external scents that they would carry. Travelling after daylight was ensuring a death sentence.

At least to most, and Kakashi wasn't like the others.

But he'd rather be safe than sorry.

Stars glinted proudly upon the impressive sky vista with the large shattered orb standing just in the middle of them all. Kakashi perched himself on a large tree branch that was high enough. It was situated where the moonlight could shine, making it possible for Kakashi to spy his surroundings.

Feeling hungry, Kakashi pulled out a food scroll and unsealed it. Smoke popped from the paper and once dispersed, a pork sandwich laid there in its wrapping along with a canteen of water. He tucked the roll away and tugged his mask off. Kakashi happily dug into the tasty food.

 _Chirp chirp!_

Kakashi felt his little buddy wriggle its way out of his hair and fluttered down in front of him. It stood on its little talon, head twitching at him, more specifically at his sandwich. He rolled his eye and laughed slightly, a finger tore a small portion and left it in front of the bird. It tweeted happily before pecking at it. Eventually he was used to the ambience, albeit it being eerie for sure. After hours of not seeing a single Grimm nearby, Kakashi deemed it safe to get a shut-eye before dawn.

…

Barely before sunrise, the scarecrow's lone eye popped open on instinct. The forest around him glowed a soft yellow. A thin coat of fog glazed over the marshland, bouncing sunlight across their surface. The air was chill, delivering a pastoral fragrance throughout the woods. Kakashi hurriedly munched on a nutrition bar and readied himself for work.

His little sparrow decided to settle itself on his right shoulder instead. As if knowing his thoughts, its head swiveled constantly seemingly looking for threats. Navigating came easy with complete visibility. This made spotting Grimm much easier with how much their natural dark color contrasted against their environment.

There laid no clear path for him to take, only a conjuncture of tracks hidden beneath layers of leaves and murky water. Its depth was likely hand-deep at best, but Kakashi knew better to underestimate nature, much less abominations. No doubt creatures lurked these lowlands, patiently preying on potential meals. He best kept to high grounds.

A scrutiny eye told him that the trees grew denser farther in, resisting against sunlight that would struggle to break through. Humidity was high, far more so than the dry forest with creeks running through. He hopped on a tree branch masked with lichen and moss. Kakashi wouldn't trust these thin wooden and wet woods to hold his weight so he jumped as quickly as possible.

 _Craaaaack!_

Kakashi lost his footing when the branch broke suddenly, his hand instinctively grabbed the broken stump. His sparrow flew in alarm but remained by his side. With a grunt he strengthened the grasp and planted both feet against the trunk for a leap.

 _Splaaaaash!_

Without warning a creature with massive jaw emerged from the depth below. Water parted with such a great force that billowed any floating logs flying backward. The monster's threatening hiss invaded his eardrums like a commander shouting orders. In a split second Kakashi flipped himself and attached his hands and feet to another vantage point.

He witnessed the beast's maw crunched forcefully at the tree like it was chewing on paper. Its elongated serpentine body submerged in the water still. Its size easily dwarfed Kakashi in comparison, telling him that the water here was deep. The massive creature resembled a snake, unlike its natural counterpart, this one had multiple large fans.

Were they venomous, he didn't want to find out.

Kakashi could feel its blood red eyes staring at him even if he could not spot their pupils. This thing was called a King Taijitu, he understood why. Its pitch black scales glistened with dripping droplets, giving it a shiny wet coat. A bone-like mask plastered upon its head with stark red markings. This was the monster's ebony half, its ivory part was lodged somewhere beneath the violent wake.

The Grimm flicked its forked tongue and casually slid itself back toward the water, dragging any splinter of woods along with it and was soon completely gone from sight. He couldn't even see the ripples an aquatic animal would make when they're near surface. Everything became stilled, only the demolished tree remained as a sign of disturbance.

He surveyed the proximity with great vigilance, predicting when and where the monster could strike next. A snake relied on its tongue to find preys. The fallen branch was likely the trigger to his location, but to aim with such precision to where he was, its sense of smell would have been great. Perhaps it could detect his body heat, his scent though—one so foreign—would be more likely.

To test his theory, Kakashi tore off a bark and threw it across from where he was. The piece of timber plopped into the water, wrinkling it and just floating there.

No reaction, aside from the parting algae.

So it knew where he was, however Kakashi couldn't speak the same from his side. He either needed to lure it out, or counterattack when it strike. Electrocution wouldn't work on this scale. Bypassing it was another option, but he'd rather not leave something so dangerous unchecked.

Forming a handseal Kakashi made a duplicate of himself. His clone released its chakra hold and began to fall. As he had expected, during mid drop, the water surface broke and the same gigantic monstrous jaw emerged. The Grimm swallowed his clone, mercilessly crushing it between its immense fangs. Kakashi activated the bait with a sign.

His clone immediately discharged itself with a strong surge of electricity. The shock was strong enough to damage the Grimm and temporarily paralyze it. Kakashi seized this opportunity and dove with both hands gripping a ninjato, aiming it downward. He stabbed the snake by its snout, effectively shutting its maw. Kakashi nailed himself to the tree with a strong chakra hold.

The Grimm struggled, wrestling against Kakashi's dominance. It thrashed, quaking water everywhere. Pain was evident from how much the creature was fighting to free itself. He saw a glimpse of white visible below and grinned to himself.

Kakashi pushed harder on the ninjato and focused chakra into his hands. Elemental energy channeled itself toward the steel blade and glowed a bright light. Electricity coursed through metal and transferred straight through the Grimm, electrocuting it.

The snake's head began to pummel against the tree and Kakashi was beginning to lose his grip. He was sure that it would be screeching had its jaw not being shut. Water sloshed beneath, each splash stronger than the last. With a final convulsion, a white maw launched upward, aiming at him. Kakashi withdrew his blade and flipped himself, narrowly avoiding the bite.

King Taijitu's pale part crashed against timber, forcibly destroying it with ease. Freed from the blade, the black side wrapped its serpentine body around the tree. Kakashi saw red dripping from the wound, only to dissipate into smoke shortly after. The Grimm's constrict grew harder when the tree started fracture from such force.

If this thing was hungry before, it's surely pissed off now.

At least he had managed to get the thing out of the water, fighting it would be much easier now. From his post, Kakashi waited for any indication of an attack. He saw the Grimm reared its head back, body looking like a spring, signally a lunge.

The Taijitu's white head snapped forward with incredible speed, mouth unhinged, giving Kakashi a front row's view of its internal abyss. A loud hiss accompanied the strike, disorienting him a little with how concentrated and loud it was.

Kakashi narrowly avoided as he hurdled over, ninjato in hand cutting deep at behind its mask. He spun and made a deeper slash to the same spot, further damaging the Grimm. It shrieked in pain, all of a sudden the hairs on his nape stood up, warning of danger. Kakashi kicked the body to kill his momentum and avoided a pitch black maw striking from behind.

Molding chakra to his feet, Kakashi balanced himself on the Grimm. Horse, tiger, serpent, ram, monkey, boar, horse, and tiger. Using lightning speed to form the signs, Kakashi inhaled sharply and blew out a large fireball.

With great intensity, the flames latched themselves to any surface or object they could find. The damp air and its surrounding was hot all of a sudden. The tree in front of Kakashi caught on fire and so did the King Taijitu. He could hear the crackling noise from both the falling timber and blistering scales. He leapt backward and watched his handiwork when the snake convulsed in pain. The heat would instantly burn through every part of both its heads, leaving but the masked.

The Grimm ceased to scream when its faces were no more, the body fell, causing a massive splash. It wriggled and squirmed lifelessly and became still. Black smoke began to take its place. Kakashi watched until the monster completely vanished. The tree that fell victim to his fireball was charred black and broke into pieces. Seeing no point in hanging around, he continued on with his mission.

…

Many Grimm tried to take his life, some seeked him out in the open while others preyed from the shadows. Kakashi found natural wildlife here, they seeming co-existed with the Grimm, but he had also seen skeletons and remains of larger animals.

Right after a duck, he slashed upward, effectively severing a Beowolf's arm. He followed with a horizontal cut and let its head fly. Kakashi looked around at the field full of dissipating corpses. He sighed when he saw his blade, it had chipped in many parts, it wouldn't last much longer.

He was in a deeper part of the marshland, sunlight was beginning to wane and fog grew thicker. Many times he would have been caught off-guard had it not for his partner. Kakashi found out that an animal could sense Grimm like how they could feel a disaster from distance away. It explained how many of the smaller species could survive in a Grimm infested land.

The sparrow chirped excitedly and landed on his shoulder. Kakashi scratched its neck as a way of saying thank you. The bird squirmed and took flight once more, hopping from tree to tree. He made a few hand signs and a gust of wind blew through, clearing the area of fog obscuring his vision.

Kakashi referenced his map several times to pinpoint his current location. South had been the general direction he headed in toward his mark. Without strong sunlight, Kakashi found it difficult to even find the trail he had left behind. Annoyance invaded his thoughts, he wasn't even sure what he needed to look for. The marshland in itself looked all the same, hardly any distinct landmark of sorts.

At least this part of the bog had dry land. The constant look out of underwater snakes was wearing him out. His partner many times had saved him with warnings; usually with it pecking at his ear or tweeting like crazy.

He had never seen a marshland like this; the trees were large and their reach grew far. Much unlike a typical swamp, darkness took residence here. Quite literally a perfect place to house Grimm. Why people would ever wander to such site he'd never know. It reminded him a lot of the Forest of Death, where danger lurked at every corner.

 _Crunch!_

A sound not akin to broken woods or rocks tumbling caught Kakashi's attention. Slowly, he raised his foot to see a dirty and marred piece of bone sticking out. He crouched down and dusted away. What was buried beneath revealed to be a human skeleton, at least what was left it. Only the torso part remained mostly intact, it had clear markings of being destroyed brutally. An arm endured with all its digits, other than that he saw nothing else.

Nothing of the same skeleton anyhow.

More and more skeletal corpses of human scattered about the place. Shredded clothes could still be found upon some of them. Completely smashed skulls, fractured parts laid here and there, ranging in several sizes, including children.

"Tweet tweet tweeet!"

The sparrow chirped loudly, constantly hopping back and forth from his shoulder. Its panicking wouldn't stop until it decided to hide within his messy locks. Instantly on alert, Kakashi reached for the blade, eyes scanning for movements.

Fog grew heavy, bringing along with it cold chills. Visibility became zero when Kakashi could barely see in front of him. Every thought of dead people forgotten when his senses screamed danger. An unknown target was seeking him, and he was standing in its very territory.

Everything was quiet, Kakashi stood his ground in baited breath, hearing nothing but his own heart beating.

There were two types of ninjas: those who continued with the mission with intel, and those who had none. This was one of those times where he belonged in the latter. Sticking with those students would've been a good idea considering the knowledge on Grimm they might possess.

 _Ffffpt!_

Kakashi instinctively deflected a speedy projectile. It bounced off and punctured the dirt. There was no time to inspect the object when many more sped his way. Sparks flew as they clashed against the blade, spinning wildly when forced away from their initial trajectories. Kakashi rolled and dashed up a nearby tree, sounds of impaling spikes followed close behind.

Estimating the source of fire, Kakashi threw several shurikens in that direction. He saw glints sparkling from within the thick mist. Whatever that attacked him stopped its assault. Placing a hand against the trunk and pulsing chakra through his palm, Kakashi concentrated on finding movements based upon weight. It was faint, but he knew the creature wasn't too far away, and very light on its feet.

A dim silhouette resembled that of a spiked tail fell toward him from above. Kakashi leapt to safety and saw the tree broke apart in half straight down the middle, the black appendage was visible for a second before it wriggled away into the fog, almost like a snake with tiny legs. He found himself alone once more, surrounded by mist. Kakashi created a gust of wind, whatever amount of visibility he managed to create disappeared just as quickly.

Unlike Zabuza's special technique, the fog was not created with chakra, leaving its source untraceable.

 _Crrrtttt…_

Sharp, faint noises of critters or grinding teeth came from all directions. Different levels and patterns told Kakashi they weren't echoes, but multiple sources. Meaning there was more than one predator seeking him out. He found himself stepping on more and more skeletons, fallen rotted trees wherever he could see. A putrid smell of spoiled earth, as if this land had been poisoned for ages.

Black tar-like substances dripped from above into small puddles. Kakashi glanced upward and saw the base of a humongous tree, its moldy roots as huge as boulders lodged themselves into the putrid grounds. The mist barely allowed for him to see more than half its size, everything up above was hidden.

 _Chkkkk chkkkk…_

The sounds grew louder as they got closer. Kakashi's lone eye widened when he finally understood.

This was a hunting ground, where the creatures dwelled, and he had been led straight to it. It didn't take long for them to attack him. From overhead, two or three Grimm dropped down, bearing their large teeth when close enough. Kakashi dove forward, only to greet several more circling around fallen logs.

Small sharp legs in large number protruded sideways, supporting a sleek armored body that curved around at every edge. Two hooked and crooked large canines boasted menacingly on their heads. And on those ivory bones laid rows of tiny saw-like teeth—these things were made to shred. A mask that housed six glowing red eyes stretched along the head.

Kakashi wasn't a fan of any of that.

They came in all sizes, from little to far larger than any bug had any right to be. Some clasped themselves upon Kakashi, he slashed many in mid-air and threw any that latched onto him. Speedily forming hand seals, Kakashi blew a stream of fire, enveloping the area around him in flames. The hideous Grimm screeched in pain. However, many larger ones shook off the waning embers and readied their assaults.

Nothing around him could be used as a replacement, Kakashi had to continually dodging, but not forever. The centipede-like Grimm were swarming, more and more crawled from crevices and cracks. Some tiny ones clambered out from black puddles as if they're newborns.

 _Chiiiii chiiiirrrr chrrrrkkkkk!_

They all jumped on him, legs scratching at this clothes while teeth prickling at any part of his skin they could find. From head to toe he was completely covered in Grimm. Kakashi could feel the larger ones wrapping their bodies around him, steadily constricting while digging into his flesh.

"Arghh!"

Pain erupted from where they struck. Feelings of blood began to seep from wounds appearing all over. Everything reeked of a musty odor and stink flesh. His metal arm plates gave away to pressure from the creatures' jaws.

Gritting his teeth in agony, Kakashi firmly fished out an exploding tag from under his belt. He stuck it to one of the gnawing centipedes and braced himself as he released chakra.

Potent heat followed by a strong force exploded, thrusting Kakashi back against a fallen logs. Almost like confetti, corpses of blown up Grimm fell to earth in a grisly manner. They screeched in pain, but his hearing was almost nonexistent. A severe burn was searing on his left forearm, where it had been closest to the explosion. The cloth had been torn away and a busted armguard clumsily held on. He could almost see the sizzling smoke coming from it.

His vision cleared up and a Grimm was speeding toward him, Kakashi withdrew his blade and stabbed its head into the wood. He rolled over to stand up and yanked the sword, cleaving a leaping creature right down the middle, spilling black substance everywhere. He kept slashing at any Grimm that attacked him, stomping on the ones small enough to be squashed.

Having no plans of attack and hopelessly outnumbered, Kakashi needed to get away. Panic rushed rampantly through his heart. They just kept coming, everywhere he looked, black and red clouded his vision. The mist had parted mostly, but it only revealed more endless ugly Grimm.

Mustering strength into the injured arm, Kakashi made hand signs and slammed both palms to the ground, creating a shockwave and forcing the Grimm back in a large radius. He reared back and launched upward to a tree branch using chakra as boost.

The moment he landed, it broke, the stick instantly disappeared into the sea of Grimm. Kakashi saw them stacking upon each other to reach his height. Large ones were crawling up along the tree, clicking and hissing as they ventured. Barely hanging onto the stump with his good hand, Kakashi gave himself momentum swings and pivoted.

After every tree he left, it was instantly swarmed by Grimm. The fog was getting thicker again, but Kakashi just kept on going. Sounds of hungry predators dwindled down the farther he got. Once they were completely gone from hearing did Kakashi slow down.

He soon reached a small clearing with no mist around, Kakashi sat down and leaned back to a boulder catching his breath. He couldn't remember the last time he ran from anything or anyone. Not even from the Nine-Tails or Pein. Was that how many of the Genins felt when they were in the Forest of Death? To die from some of nature's most natural yet grotesque way of killing?

Kakashi wasn't afraid of the way those Grimm looked or their habitat, it was how relentless they were in trying to feast him. They grew from a small number to a swarm in an instant. Smart enough to lure Kakashi of all people into their trap. Those regular civilians never stood a chance.

How was he to rid of such vile beings? Not a damn clue.

Shit, his bird!

Quickly reaching into his silver hair, Kakashi's fingers gently touched a fragile creature. Feeling no reaction, he carefully scooped the sparrow into his palm. The small avian animal laid there, body shaking, whether from fear or pain, Kakashi wasn't sure. He brushed its top several times before its beady eyes opened and looked around.

"Chiiirr…"

It was a weak sound, dying toward the end note. The sparrow tried to spread its wings, but could not. One of them was injured and Kakashi could see a very visible bite mark.

"Fuck," he cursed quietly in frustration.

Not only did carelessness hurt himself, but also his companion.

Kakashi brought up his injured hand and softly stroke its feather. The bird crooned, it amazed him sometimes at how something so delicate could survive in such environments. He gave himself a look over and frowned. His outfit was littered with holes from Grimm bites, scratches and blood marred at almost every part of his skin.

Setting down the sparrow gently, he watched it prickling its own wound. Eyes focusing back on the burned arm, Kakashi tore off the damaged metal plate, along with the charred cloth, and tossed them aside. Fishing for his back pouch, he sighed with relief when things were intact. Kakashi unsealed a water canteen along with a first aid kit.

Kakashi quickly rinsed off with water and carefully bandaged his entire arm. A fresh set of clothes was more than welcome. With how damaged the protective gear got, he'd have to carry on with just the vest. Kakashi downed his drink in large gulps and poured a little into a cap for his bird, which cheerfully accepted.

The sparrow was smart enough to not struggle when Kakashi fixed it up. He appreciated that very much.

The small clearing he found proved to be most convenient. No marks or tracks of Grimm could be seen, the air cleaner than most of the swamp and lack of fog to hinder his vision. A good spot for a short rest while he planned his next move.

Scouting the area of operation's perimeter.

Figuring out how to destroy a nest of Grimm efficiently.

Finding out what's inside the tree and black goop stuff.

If there's a giant big bad Grimm, got to kill it as well.

A solid and straightforward plan.

Easier said than done anyway.

Kakashi let out a breath in exaggeration. He was raised to become an assassin, not some monster hunter. While he had large impact jutsus, single target killing was always more of a preference. But a job was a job, he'd never leave it half-assed.

He wondered if those huntsman trainees had reached the place, would they be able to handle something like that? If they couldn't and died, should he even feel responsible?

The answer should be no, but also yes, considering he brought up information in the first place. Also, so many have died to these monsters, he wouldn't want more names being added to the list.

Kakashi could try and find them first to relay what he had learned, by working together, odds of succeeding this arduous task would shift in their favor.

Kakashi Hatake, the famed Copy-Ninja of the Leaf, looking for help.

Oh how the mighty had fallen.

He chuckled at the thought and packed up. He could tell that it was only noon from the vertical light shafts poking through thickets. Daylight was burning, better not let it be wasted.

 **Not beta'd**

 **Author's note: Woo, that was quite some time since last update eh? I've been busy I swear! With...sleeping and...stuff. My finals are over though so yayyyy. Sorry if this chapter wasn't what you guys were expecting, with the whole CFVY and things. Dang, a lot of dislikes to our dear fashionista hahaha. But all in good times, two or three more chapters to this arc, then you guys shall see. Apology if there isn't enough dialogues, it's just kinda stuck this way until I decided to put more characters into the scene with Kakashi. Don't worry, this is probably the last chapter with so much description. Guys, do remember that this is Pein-Kakashi, he's not op.**


End file.
